Automatic fire shutter



F eb. 15,1927.

w. E. DUNCANSON AUTOMATIC FIRE SHUTTER I Filed Feb. v, 1925 aSheets-Sheet 1 I .INVENTOR Mu 75/? f. 00/VC/l/VJO/V. I

. w. E. DUNCANSON I AUTOMATIC FIRE SHUTTER v Filed Feb. 7 1925 SSheBts-Shet 2 '/2 BY I 24 I ATTy RNEYs 8 L, v

Feb. 15, 1927.

w. E. DUNCANSON AUTOMATIC FIRE SHUTTER Filed Feb. 7, 1925' 3Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTQR A RNEQY Patented Feb. 15, 1927.

tense WALTER n. DIlNCANSGN or NEW,YOR-K, N. Y., essrc-iioaro rrrn' J. G.w'ILsoN colaroR rIoN, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A coRroRA'rIoN or vrneilvmaAUTOMATIC FIRE snowman.

Application filed February 7 1925. Serial No. 7,513.

This invention relates to automatic fire resisting screens or shuttersof the type in which the screen is arranged to be coiled up on anduncoiled from a rotary roller and 'is normally maintained in coiled upcondition within a protecting housing. In shutters of this type theshutter is automatically released and caused to uncoil from the rollerto close the opening adjacent to which it is installed upon theoccurrence of a dangerous rise in temperature.

It is highly desirable in fire shutters of this type thatth'econtrolling and actuating mechanism therefor, shall be soconstructed that the shutter may be tripped manually to cause theshutter to descend and close the opening and thereafter may be againcoiled up on the roller in testing the opera tion of the shutter.Shutters of this type have heretofore been constructed so that they maybe tripped manually. In coiling up the shutter after testing the same,it is desirable that after setting the shutter holding mechanism theoperator should be able to raise the shutter part way While standing onthe floor of the building and then, to complete the raising of theshutter while standing on the sill of the window or on any othersuitable elevated support. This makes it highly important that somemeans shall be provided for holding the shutter in any partially raisedposition" during the manual raising operation.

One of the objects of the present invention is to improve theconstruction and mode of operation of coiling fire shutters of the typeabove described and to provide such shutters with new and improvedoperating and controlling mechanisms which will hold the shutternormally in open position in a reliable manner, which may be readilyreleased automatically upon the occurrence of r a dangerous rise oftemperature or manually for the purpose of testing the operation andwhich will hold the shutter effectively in partially raised positionduring the manual raising of the same.

In certain shutters of this type heretofore constructed the shutteracquires a great deal of momentum during its descent. The result isthatconsiderable force is required to stop the shutter when it reaches aclosed position and this results in heavy strains on the parts and inthe production of large amount of noise and vibration..- To avoid thlsundesirable result shutters of this type have been providedwith meansfor retardmg the downward movement of the shutter.

The means heretofore devised however, for this purpose, has been such asto retard also the upward movement of the shutter and this greatlyincreases the labor required and the diiliculties involved in coiling upthe particularly pointed out in the claims, the

advantages of whichwill be readily understood and appreciated by thoseskilled in the art.

The invention willbe clearly understood from the accompanying drawingsillustrating the invention in its preferred form and the followingdetailed description of the constructions therein. shown.

In the drawings-- Fig. 1 IS a view in vertical section of" a shutterembodying the invention, this view I being taken substantially on. theline 11 of Fig. 2; a

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation with certain parts broken away of themechanism tially on the line 5-95 of Fig. 3 and illustrating thestructure at one end of the roller;

and v I Fig. 6 isa view in horizontal section taken substantially on.the line 66 of Fig. 1.

The ceiling? shutter embodied in the pram ent construction may be of anysuitable or well known type such as that made up of in case of fire.

able bearing in the shutter frame.

jointed metallic slats and is illustrated dia 'thegshutter is coiled,the inner'margin of the shutter being secured to these supports.

The outer margin of the shutter comprises plates 12 attached to one ofthe slats and carrying at their lower ends an angle bar 14:. The ends ofthe shutter slide in channels in channel bars 16 located at the oppositesides of the door opening.

The barrel 9 is actedupon by coiled springs (not shown) whichpartmllycounterbalance the weight of the shutter. WV hen the shaft isreleasechhowever, the weight of the shutter will cause the shutter, whenopen, to move toward closed-position against the tension of the springs.In order to increase the force tending to close the shutter during thefirst part of the closing movement thereof, a weight bar 18 is mountedwith its ends engaging in guides in channel bars 20 to slide verticallyin a direction parallelwith the shutter, the channel bars 20 beinglocated -.at opposite sides of the door opening, as

shown in Figure 6. The angle bar 14 on the lower end of the shutterprojects across the path of movement of the weight bar 18,

so that the weight bar is adapted to act upon $0 the shutter duringapart of the movement thereof. T'Vhen" the shutter is completely Iop'en.the weight bar restsupon the angle bar 14;, as'shown in Figure 1, and issup.

ported thereby. Thus, when the shutter is released, the shutter will beacted upon by its own overbalancin'g weight and also by the weight ofthe bar 18. V

If thebar 18 continues to act on the shutter until the shutter reachesclosed position, the shutterwill end its movement with a violent impactor stop, which is, of course. undesirable. Furthermore, the bar 1.8, if

acting on the shutter when the shutter is closed, will make itparticularly difiicult for anyone who 1s trapped in a building by theclosing of the shutter, to raise the shutter manually and escape. Toavoid these results,

i the movement of thebar 18 with the shutter 'isarrested before theshutter reaches closed position by meansof a pair of bolts 22- extendingacross the respective channel bars 20. The engagement oft-he ends of thebar witlrthese bolts stops the movement of the bar'and the shuttercontinues it-smovement to closed position.

The shutter is held in fully opened position by means of shutter latcheswhich engage the ends of the angle bar 14. Thesea member attached'to arock shaft 28, the

latches being acted upon by coiled springs 30- which tend to advance thesame into operating position. The latches arev each providcd withinclined faces 32 arranged to be engaged by the bar 18 and the angle bar14 to, cause the retraction of the latches as the shutter is raised. Therock shaft 28 is mounted in bearings in supports 34 attached to theframe of the shutter mechanism and to one end of the shaft is secured anarm 36 to which is attached the mechanism for holding the latch normallyin operating position. This mechanism comprises chains 38 and 40 whichare connected by a fusible link 4:2. The chain 40 passes about guidepulleys M and through the tubular element 48 mounted in the wall 6 andextending from the exterior to the interior of the building. On theinterior of the building the chain passes about a guide pulley 50 .andis'attached at its end to a hook 52. Thus the, chain 40 is attached at afixed point remote from the shutter latches within the building, whereit may be conveniently released in testing the operation of the shuttermechanism.

Figure 30f the drawings shows the positions of the parts as the shutteris being raised, just before'the bar 18 engages the latches, and Figure1 shows in full lines, the pos1t1ons of the parts when the shutter 1S infully open position. Figure 1 shows in dot and dash lines and Figure &shows in full lines, the position of the parts just after the latchesare released.

The latches 24 of course, will hold the shutteronly. in fully openedposition. 1 order to hold the shutter in partly opened position while itis "being rais'ed'n' anually, a latch mechanism is provided which actson the shaft 8.

To this end'the disk 53 at one end of the shaft is provided with aseries of radially projecting teeth 5% which are arranged. to be engagedby a pawl 56 pivoted on a lever 60. The lever 60 is pivoted at 61 I ofthe lever 60. The pawl 56 is free to turn on the lever 60 the pawlisengaged by the teeth 5d during'the raising of the-shut ter so thatthepawl does not obstruct the rotation of the shaft 8. The turningmovement of the'pawl in the opposite direction,

however, is limited by means of a pin 68 secured in the lever 60, sothat the pawl will prevent the-rotation of the shaft 8 in a direction tocause the lowering of the shutter.

lVhen the shutter approaches its completely opened position, the leveris engaged by a pin secured to the plate 12 which swings the lever outof operating position as shown in Figures 1 and 4. Thus the lever 60 andpawl 56 will act to prevent the downward movement of the shutter whileit is .being opened manually until the shutter is adjacent its fullyopened position. The lever 60 and pawl 56 are then thrown mitofoperation by the upward movement of the shutter and the shutter is heldin fully opened position only by the action of the latches 24.

hen the link .42 fuses or the chain 40 is released from the hook 52 thearm 36 is released and the arms 26 with the latches 24 swing downwardlyto the position shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 1 and in fulllines in Figure 4, under the weight of the shutter and the bar 18. Thisslackens the chain 62 and relieves the tension on the spring 66 so thatthe lever 60 and the pawl 56 remain in the positions shown in Figures 1.and 4, until the shutter is again raised, the lever 60 being somewhatoverbalanced on its outer arm. The lever 60 is swung back to theposition shown in Figure 3 when the latches 24 are reset in theposit-ion shown in this figure by the pull exerted upon the chain ('32and the spring 66, the spring 66 then yi ldingly holding the lever inposition.

In order to retard the downward movement of the shutter so that theshutter will not come to the end of its movement with great violence, anescapement mechanism is provided to act on'the shaft 8 as the shutterdescends. This escapement mechanism comprises a ratchet wheel 72 mountedto turn loosely on the shaft 8 and to be rotated with the shaft duringthe downward movement of the shutter by meansof a pawl 74 pivoted on thedisk 53 and arranged to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel. Thisconnection between the disk and the ratchet wheel enables the disk andshaft 8 to turn freely without rotating the ratchet. wheel as theshutter is raised. The rotation of the ratchet wheel 72 with the shaft 8during the downrard movement of the shutter is retarded by mechanismcomprising pawls 76 and 78 secured rigidly together and pivoted upon astud 80 mounted in the frame of the shut ter mechanism. To the pawls 76and 78 is secured a depending arm 82 arranged to swing across the axisof the shaft 8 and having a weight 84 adjustably secured to the lowerend thereof. This arm is provided at an intermediate point therein withan elongated opening 86 in which the shaft 8 is engaged.

As the ratchet wheel 72is rotated in a clockwise direction, Figure 4,during the downward movement of the shutter, the rotation-of the wheelis retarded first by one of the pawls 76 and 78 and then by the, otherpawl, the pawls being oscillated about the stud 80, during thisoperation. The oscilla-fl tion of the pawls swings the arm 82 back andforth across the axis of the shaft 8, the

dom at this time. 'Figure 3 shows the posi-' tions of the parts ofthe'retarding mechanism as the shutter is being raised, the pawl 74clicking over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 72 as the disk 53 isrotated.

Tn resetting the shutter mechanism after the link 42 is fused the chain40 is preferably released from thehook 52 to enable a new link readilyto be inserted between the chain 40 and the chain 38. The mechanism maythen be reset by restoring the chain 40 to the hook 52. In resetting themechanism after testing it is only necessary to replace the chain 40 onsaid hook. In either case, the resetting operation swingsthe arm 86downwardly into the position shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 3 andswings the arms 26 and the latches 24 upwardly into the positions shownin full lines in these figures. As the arm 36 is swung downs wardly.into the positionshown in these figures, the pull on thechain 62 willrestore the lever 60 to operating position, as shown in Figure 3. Thus,this lever will be in position to prevent the downward movement of theshutter while the shutter is being raised manually. hen the shutter iscompletely raised, however, this lever will be swung out of operatingposition into the position shown in Figures 1 and 4 as stated above.

As the shutter is raised, the angle iron 14 will pick up the weight barfrom the bolts 22 as the iron reaches said bar and as the shuttercontinues its upward movement, the bar 18 engages the inclined faces 32of the .latches 24 and forces back the latches in the I guidewaysin-arms 26 until the bar and angle iron have passed the latches. Thelatches will then spring forwardly into operating position as shown inFigure 1.

' As shown in Figures 1 and 3, one of the side flanges on each of thechannel members 16 is bent laterally as indicated at 88, over the upperend of the adjacent channel member 20in which the weight 18 slides. Thiswi'll prevent the weight 18 from being removed from the guides 20 bylifting/the weight out of the upper ends of the guides.

'The weight 18 is made of suflicient Width and is arranged to fitsufficiently close at its ends to the adjacent walls of the channelmembers 20 to prevent one end of the weight 7 from beinglifted above theother end of the weight into a position such that the weight may beremoved laterally from the channel members. v

It is to be notedthat in the present constructionthe guides 20 for theends of the weight bar 18 are located outside of the channel bars 16 inwhich the lateral edges of the shutter engage.

The latches 2% constitute shutterlatches acting on the shutter asdistinguished from the latches acting on the roller-upon which theshutter is rolled, the latches 2% acting to hold the shutter in'its'fully raised position.

. The lever 60, together withthe pawl 56 constitute a roller latchacting on the devices upon which the shutter is rolled to hold theshutter in partially raised position, this latch being'thrown out ofoperation when the I shutter is fully raised. By the co-operative actionof these latches, the shutter will be heldin fully raised position sothat it may be released, either manually to test the same, or upon theoccurrence of an abnormal rise in temperature and willbe held inpartially raised position'while it is being raised 7 manually. I

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to theparticular construction and arrangement of parts of the illustratedembodiment of the invention but that the invention may be embodied inother forms within the the scope of the claims.

Having explained the nature. and object of the invention and havingspecifically described amechanism embodying the invention in itspreferred form, What is claimed 1. An automaticfire shutter mechanismhaving in" combination a movable shutter constructed and arranged formovement across a wall opening, a shutter latch for engaging the shutterto latch the same in open position, and means for holding the V latch inshutter latching position comprising a. fusible element arranged to beoperated manually to release theshutter and to be operated automaticallyto release the shutter by the fusing of said element.

2. An automatic fire shutter mechanism havingfin combination. a movableshutter constructed; and arranged for movement across a wall opening, apivoted shutter latch for engaging beneath the shutter when fully raisedto latch the same in open position, 1 and means for holding the latch inshutter latching position comprising arfusible ele- 'ment arranged to beoperated manually to release the shutter and to be operatedautomatically to release the shutteijby the fusing of said element. a

An automatic fire shutter mechansm having in combination a movableshutter COllStl'llQLGd and arranged for movement across a wall0pen1ng,1neans inoperaa roller latch for holding the shutter from'dropping when partially raised, a latch for engaging the shutter to holdthe shutter in fully raised position, and means forrendering bothlatches inoperative to allow the shut ter to descend.

5. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a flexibleshutter constru'ted and arranged for movement across a wall opening, aroller on whichtheshutter may be coiled and form which it may be'uncoiled to open and close the opening, a roller latch for holding theshutter from dropping when partially raised, a latch for engaging theshutter to hold the shutter in fully raised position, means for throwingout the first latch when the shutter is fully raised, and fusible meansfor releasing the second latch upon the occurrence of a dangerous riseintemperature.

6. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a. flexibleshutter constructed, and arranged for movement across a-Wall opening, aroller on which the shutter may be coiled and from which it may beuncoiled to open and close'thelopening, a roller latch for holding theshutter from dropping when partially raised, a latch for engaging theshutter to hold the shutter in fully raised position, means for throwingout the first latch when the shutter is fully raised, fusible 'means forreleasing the second latch upon the occurrence of a dangerous rise intemperature, and common means for resetting both latches.

7. An automatic fire shutt r mechanism having in combination a flexibleshutter constructed and arranged. for movement across a wall opening, aroller on which the shutter may be coiled and from which it maybe'uncoiled to open and close the opening, a roller latch for holding theshutter from dropping when partially raised, a latch for engagingtheshutter to hold the shutter in fully raised position, means forthrowingout the first latch when the shutter is fully raised, and fusible meansfor releasing the second latch upon the occurrence of a dangerous risein temperature, and for causing the continued release of the first latchas th shutter falls. r

8. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a flexibleshutterconstructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, aroller on which the shutter may be coiled and from which it maybeuncoiled to open and close the opening, a roller latch for holding theshutter from dropping when partially raised, a latch for engaging theshutter to hold the shutter in fully raised position, means for throwingout the first latch when the shutter is fully raised, fusible means forreleasing the second latch upon the occurrence of a dangerous rise intemperature, and for causing the con-' tinned release of the first latchas the shut ter falls, and common means for resetting both of saidlatches.

9. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in. combination a movableshutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening,means for holding the shutter normally in open position compr1sing anelement fusible upon the occurrence of a dangerous rise in temperature,,and'independent means unaffected by the upward movement of the shutterarranged to retard the downward movement of the shutter whenever saidholding means is released.

10. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination. a movableshutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening,means for holdingthe shutter normallyin open position comprising anelement fusible upon the occurrence .of a dangerous rise in temperature,and independent meansarranged to retard the downward movement of theshutter whenever said holding mean's is released and fur.- nishingsubstantially no resistance to the lifting of the shutter.

11. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movableshutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening,means for holding the shutter normally in .open position comprising anelement fusible upon the occurrence of a dangerous rise in temperature,independent means arranged to retard the downward movement of theshutter whenever the shutter is released, and a ratchet mechanismconnecting the shutter with said retarding means. whereby the retardingmeans will be set in operation upon each release of the shutter and willbe ineffective when the shutter is raised.

12. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a flexibleshutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening, aroller upon which the shutter may be coiled up and from which it may beuncoi led, a device mounted to rotate loosely about the axis of theshutter roller, a retarding mechanism arranged to act on the same, a.second'device secured to the shutter roller to rotate therewith, alatch for engaging the latter device to hold the,

same from rotation in one direction, ,a

ratchet connecting said devices to cause the former to rotate with thelatter when the shutter descends, said ratchet allowing the formerdevice to remain stationary when the shutter is raised.

13. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movableshutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening,latching means for holding the shutter in fully opened position,

latching means for holding the shutter in partially opened position, andmeans for throwing out the latter latching; means when the shutterisfully opened. 1 I i 14.. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having incombination a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement.

across a wall opening, latching means for holding the shutter in fullyopened position, latching means for holding the shutter in partiallyopened position, and 'means for throwing out the latter latching meanswhen the shutter isfully opened and for maintaining it out of operationwhen theshutter is released.

15. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having incombination a flexibleshutter, constnucted and arranged for movement across a wall opening, aroller on which the shutter may be coiled and from which it may be .un-I 16. An automatic fire shutter mechanism' across a wall opening, aholding'device'for holding the shutter against downward move ment and.means operated by the upward movement of the shutter for'releasing saidholding device.

17. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movableshutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening,rotatable devices upon which the shutter may be. rolled, a memberrotatable with relation to said devices, means for connecting saidmember for rotation with said devices during each downward movement ofthe shutter, arranged to allow said devices to rotate inclependently ofsaid member during the raisingof. the shutter and ineansfor holding saidmember from movement while connected with said devices to maintain theshutter in raised position.

18. An automat c fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movableshutter constructed "and arranged for movement across a wall opening,rotary devices upon which the shutter may be rolled, a retarding devicefor retarding the downward move- '7 ment of the shutter, comprising aswinging adjustably mounted on said arm.

arm,-pawls rigidly connected with said arm,

a toothed'wheel arranged to be engaged by ing mechanism for retardingthe downward movement of the shutter, comprising a swlngng arm, pawlsmounted on sald arm, a toothed wheel arranged to be engaged by saidpawls, means for connecting saidwheel for rotation with said devices anda weight 7 20. An automatic fire shutter mechanism havlng in combinationa movable shutter constructed and arranged for movement; across'a wallopening, rotatable devices upon '7 Y which the shutter may be rolled andretard thereof.

ing, devices for retarding the downward move'ment of the shutter, meansby which the retarding devices may be adjusted to increase or diminishthe retarding action 21. An automatic fire shutter mechanism havin incombination a movable shutter constructed and arranged for movementacross a wall opening, rotatable devices upon which the shutter may berolled, a'retarding mechanism' for retarding the downward movement ofthe shutter comprising a swinging arm, pawls mounted on said arm, atoothed wheel arranged to be engaged by said "pawls, meansforfconnecting said'wheel for rotation with said devices, and means 1 7independent of said arm for holding the shutter in raised position.

22. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movableshutter shutter and means for holding said member from movement whileconnected with said devices to maintain the shutter'in raised positioncomprising a device-fusible upon the occurrence of a d'angerous'rise intem-' perature. g

23. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movableshutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening,means for holding the shutter normally in open position arranged to beactuated to release the shutter upon the occurrence of a dangerous risein temperature, and independent means for retarding the downwardmovement of the shutter whenever said holding means is released. V i

24. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movableshutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening,means for retarding the downward movement of the shutter, comprising anoscillatory weighted arm, means moving with the shutter as'the shutterdescends for oscillating said arm, and means independent' of said armfor holding the shutter from descending,

25. An automatic fire shutter mechanism having in combination a movableshutter constructed and arranged for movement across a wall opening,retarding mechanism for retarding intermittently the downward movementof the shutter, and means independent of said retarding mechanism forholding the shutter from descending.

Signed at New York, this 6th day of: February, 1925.

WALTER E. nnnoanson.

